


something that was always there

by soundsandsweetairs



Category: Treasure Planet (2002)
Genre: Graduation, M/M, One Shot, Post-Canon, Reunion, Skiff makeouts... of course
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:47:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27530998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soundsandsweetairs/pseuds/soundsandsweetairs
Summary: Jim is staring down his future post-graduation. The arrival of an old friend opens up a galaxy of new possibilities.
Relationships: Jim Hawkins/John Silver, Jim Hawkins/Long John Silver
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	something that was always there

Jim’s eyes tracked across the crowd. His mom had told him that she was planning on arriving early to the ceremony so that she could get a good seat, but now he couldn’t find her. 

Jim and his fellow soon-to-be-graduates were seated on the large stage that had been set up on the main quad. He found himself zoning out as the speaker went on and on under the hot suns beaming down. Sure, it was a necessary tradition to have some moderately well-known alum speak at graduation, but couldn’t they keep it short? 

Jim searched the crowd again. It was mostly a blur of colors, every species imaginable, all dressed to the nines. 

A flash of metal caught Jim’s eye. He squinted, trying to focus through the bright sunlight. The person was large and imposing, and they wore a hooded coat that covered their features. They moved, and Jim saw the reflection of light off an unmistakably mechanical limb. God— it couldn’t be— The figure looked towards Jim, and he recognized the glint of John Silver’s cyborg eye. 

Jim felt lightheaded in his seat up on the stage. What was Silver doing here? It was dangerous for him to be in this part of the galaxy, and the Interstellar Academy was positively teeming with rule-followers who would be delighted to turn Silver in for a bounty!

The student who was sitting next to Jim kicked his leg. He realized it was jiggling wildly, and he tried to relax his body. “Sorry,” he muttered under his breath. He smoothed his hands over the legs of his uncomfortable uniform trousers and counted the minutes until the ceremony was done.

Jim sprinted into the crowd as soon as the chancellor had finished her closing remarks and congratulated them all. He couldn’t lose sight of Silver, not after all these years! He weaved between people, catching a glimpse of Silver ducking into an alleyway. Silver was peering suspiciously over his shoulder as he made his way away from the quad. 

Jim called ahead to him. “Hey! Wait up! Silver!”

Silver tensed at the sound of his name. It looked like he was about ready to make a run for it, when he looked back at Jim and realized who was following him. A warm smile broke over his face. 

Silver looked just as Jim remembered him. His bulky, lopsided form might have been intimidating to some people, but Jim had never seen such a wonderful sight in his life. His cyborg arm moved with incredible, familiar fluidity as it swept back his hood, revealing the face that Jim hadn’t seen in five long years. 

Jim skidded to a halt in front of him, then threw his arms around Silver, who froze for a moment before enfolding Jim in a hug. Jim blinked away the tears that were welling in his eyes. Silver’s embrace felt wonderfully safe and warm. Jim had missed him so much.

Jim pulled back and gave Silver a playful punch on the arm. “What are you doing here?” He lowered his voice. “You know it’s not safe for you to be seen at the Academy.”

Silver was still holding Jim loosely. “Ah, lad, I could never miss your graduation! I’ve been careful, I promise you. Been lying low these past few years, haven’t I!”

Jim supposed that he hadn’t heard of any daring heists or treacherous plots recently that had made him think Silver might be involved. Still, he was a wanted man!

“Were you gonna run off again without even letting me know you’d been here?” 

Silver looked chagrined. “I weren’t counting on you spotting me in that crowd, Jimbo. If I’m being honest, I was hoping to avoid saying goodbye to you again.”

Jim was hurt, a little, by the thought that Silver had meant to slip right back out. “Well, too bad!” He glanced back towards the entrance of the alleyway. “Listen, I need to go find my mom, and my friends will be waiting.” He bit his lip. “Please — come see me later? We’ll go get a drink, catch up?”

Jim could see Silver weighing the danger of sticking around Port Ivy for a few more hours. _Please,_ he thought.

Silver’s face creased into a smile. “Eh, alright, Jimbo. Being here a little longer won’t hurt.”

Jim searched through his pockets to find a scrap of paper. He scribbled the address of his apartment on it and shoved it at Silver. “I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”

Silver brought his big hand up to Jim’s face. Jim’s breath got stuck in his chest. Silver’s thumb brushed lightly over Jim’s cheek. “Proud of you, lad.” He ruffled Jim’s hair.

Jim batted at his hand, blushing at the praise. “Thanks.” He looked up at Silver bashfully. “I missed you.”

“See you tonight, Jimbo.” Silver winked, pulled the hood back over his head, and disappeared around the corner.

Jim could have shouted for joy. He pressed his hands to his face and let out a wild, ecstatic sound at the sheer bliss of seeing Silver again. He wasn’t sure if he was laughing or crying. 

His whole body felt light and bubbly as he jogged back down the alley towards his friends and family. The day suddenly seemed incredibly beautiful: surely the suns were shining a little brighter than before!

Jim could tell he was distracted as he rejoined the crush of graduates and family members. He gave his mom a brief kiss on the cheek once he’d found her in the crowd, but his mind was lightyears away. _Well. Not_ that _far away, I guess._ Silver was in the city, after all!

Jim’s friends were going out for a celebratory dinner that night, but Jim declined, claiming a headache. His mom gave him a questioning look, but he just shook his head. 

When Jim got back to his apartment, he starfished on his bed for a moment, overwhelmed, before springing back up in a panic. He’d be seeing Silver in just a few hours! Hadn’t he dreamed about this for years?

His mind wandered off into an impossible fantasy — they’d go to a bar, reminisce about Treasure Planet, then take a walk through the city. Silver would drag him into an alley and push him against the wall. His mouth would be ravenous on Jim’s. Silver’s bulk would envelop Jim, and he’d run his mechanical hand down Jim’s side and slip his fingers under the waistband of Jim’s trousers — 

Jim pressed a hand to his face, which felt feverish. _You’re a kid to him, idiot,_ Jim thought to himself. _There’s no way he could want you._

Jim changed out of his uncomfortable dress uniform into something more casual. If he spent a little longer choosing an outfit that clung to his body in the right ways, and spritzed on a little cologne, well, no one had to know, did they?

Jim glanced at himself in the mirror. He looked alright, he thought. Grown up, even. He undid a few buttons on his shirt, then rebuttoned them. He popped the top couple open again. What was the correct number of undone buttons to say, “I’m an attractive and available young man,” rather than “I’m throwing myself at you?” Jim made a face at himself. He fidgeted with his hair, which flopped forward onto his forehead. A lost cause, as usual.

Morph flittered out of the wardrobe, which was his favorite place to nap. Jim was glad for the distraction. “Hey, buddy! Are you excited to see Silver tonight?”

“Silver! Silver! Silver!” He flickered into the form of a miniature cyborg.

Jim smiled at him. “Yeah, me too.”

After what seemed like forever, the doorbell buzzed. Jim flipped on the camera at the door and felt his heart leap at the sight of Silver, looking up at the building. Jim straightened his shirt one more time and hurried down the stairs to open the door. 

Silver looked rather out of place on Jim’s doorstep, but god, if he wasn’t the best thing Jim had ever seen!

“Hi.” Jim’s face nearly hurt from how big his smile was. 

Silver looked him up and down. “Mighty fancy, Jimbo!”

Jim flushed under Silver’s approving gaze. “Nothing that special. Just didn’t want to be wearing my uniform all night!”

Morph came soaring down the stairs and circled around Silver’s head, chirping happily as they stood in the doorway. Silver chuckled. “Glad to see you too, you little rascal!”

“He’s missed you,” Jim said. 

Morph cuddled up to Silver’s cheek. “Has Jimbo been taking good care of you?” Silver rubbed a finger over him. “Yes, he has!”

Jim laughed. He almost envied Morph for the attention Silver was giving him.

Silver smiled as Jim locked the door behind them. “Well, lad, unless you’ve got other plans for us tonight, I thought I’d show off my ship, if you want to see her?”

Jim grinned. “I’d love to.”

They slipped back into an easy comradery as they made their way to the docks. The city was painted a silvery-blue in the starlight. Morph buzzed happily along next to them. Jim couldn’t imagine a more perfect night. 

The dockyard was only a few blocks from Jim’s apartment, and the route was familiar. The walk took them no time at all, it seemed to Jim, as caught up in Silver as he was. 

Jim didn’t think he’d ever get tired of the sight of all the ships at anchor. Every vessel, brimming with hope, ready to fly to far-flung stars and nebulae! Silver stopped before a small ship that bobbed gently on the breeze. “Here she is, the _Destiny!”_

She was beautiful: small but obviously well-cared-for. The canid on watch nodded briskly to Silver, who saluted back. 

Jim got the same little thrill he always did when stepping onto the deck of a ship. There was just a bone-deep sense of belonging that came over him, and the excitement that came with setting out on a new journey. Jim didn’t think it would ever grow old. 

They walked slowly around the ship. Jim looked up at the solar sails, which were neatly furled. _She must be majestic when she’s underway,_ he thought. As they stood on the quarterdeck, Jim closed his eyes and imagined flying through the vast distances of the Etherium on a ship like this. The wind would rush through his hair as he grasped the helm tightly. And if Silver was there alongside him in his imagination — well, who could blame him?

Silver put a warm hand to Jim’s back, then sent a sly look at him. Jim’s heart thumped in his chest. “We’ve got a fine little skiff down below. Want to go for a ride?”

A wide grin spread across Jim’s face. “Are you kidding? Of course I do.”

They dropped their things in the captain’s cabin — Jim took a quick look around at the papers spread across the big table, the windows providing a splendid view of open space at the rear of the room, and the large bed tucked into a corner — and left Morph there to snooze, nestled into Silver’s hat. 

Jim followed Silver down to the docking bay, where a lovely little boat waited for them. He familiarized himself with the controls as they launched the skiff. Like everything else on the ship, the boat wasn’t new, but it appeared to be in excellent condition. Jim couldn’t wait to see how its controls responded under his hands. 

They got away from the city and out into open space. Jim tested the speed of the skiff, punching the throttle. The wind of the Etherium rushed past them. Jim felt like he was exactly where he belonged: out amongst the stars, with Silver right by his side.

Jim slowed the boat to a smooth, easy pace and relaxed back in his seat. Silver stretched out next to him.

“So, lad, you’re a fancy graduate now! What’ll you be up to next?”

Jim shrugged. “I’m not really sure yet. I have a couple of options: I could join the Navy — a lot of people right out of the Academy do that. Or I’ve got an offer for a posting aboard a merchant ship to the Lagoon Nebula. Not sure I’m crazy about either option; they both seem pretty, well, straight-laced for my tastes.” He grinned at Silver.

Silver seemed to consider for a moment. “You know, Jim, my offer still stands. I’d be thrilled to have you join my crew, if you’d want. We stay… mostly on the right side of the law, these days.” 

Jim was astonished. “Really?” His mind raced. Was this everything he’d been hoping for? “I’ll think about it.”

Silver laughed and shook his head. “Why would you want to come with an old pirate, though, when you’ve got all these incredible options! A foolish thought, I know.” His face grew serious. “I meant it, Jim, when I said that you were gonna rattle the stars. No matter what you choose to do, you’ll bring a sparkle and a shine to it.”

Jim was sure that his feelings must be clearly written across his face. How could they not be, when Silver said things like that to him? No one in his whole life had ever been so sure, so insistent, that Jim _mattered,_ that the world was a better place just by him being in it. 

Silver put his mechanical arm around Jim, pulling him close to his side. Jim closed his eyes for just a moment, allowing himself to savor the feeling of being so cherished. Being around Silver, Jim thought, was the oddest combination of bone-deep comfort and insistent tension. He was almost dizzy from the back-and-forth, but he wouldn’t give it up for anything.

He shot a look at Silver, then gunned the engine, whooping as the skiff accelerated, then turned in a tight loop-the-loop. Silver shouted in surprise. They stayed out for a while longer; Jim knew that he was showing off, a bit, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. The delight that fluttered through him when Silver looked at him, impressed, was intoxicating. 

Jim pulled the skiff back into the docking bay with a sigh. It had been too long since he’d been out flying just for the sheer joy of it! He felt incredibly alive, in a way that he hadn’t often felt at the academy. _All because Silver is here with you,_ he thought to himself. 

It was dark in the belly of the ship, the only light coming from the stars beyond the hatch. Jim looked over at Silver, whose face was just a few inches away. He was watching Jim with an immense fondness. Jim felt his chest squeeze. His eyes flickered down to Silver’s lips. The pull was too strong.

“Don’t be mad at me,” Jim whispered. Silver cocked his head in a question. 

Jim leaned in and kissed him, a dry brush of lips. It felt like free-falling on his solar surfer, when he wasn’t sure if the thrust would catch him in time. 

He drew back an inch to find Silver searching his face. His cyborg eye was focusing in and out, scanning over Jim. Jim’s heart was pounding.

“Jimbo, lad —” He put a hand to the back of his neck, visibly flustered, “what could you possibly want with an old box of bolts like me?”

Jim took in Silver’s face, which he’d seen at both its kindest and most fearsome. How dear it was to him! “You saw something in me when no one else did, when I was just a fucked up kid without a future. I wouldn’t be where I am today if you hadn’t believed in me.” Jim took a deep, steadying breath. “I’ve missed you every day since then. If I never saw you again, I’d still miss you every day.” Jim could see tears gathering in Silver’s good eye. He felt the back of his throat getting tight. “I think we belong together. I don’t know if you— if you want me the same way I want you. But the two of us are better together, I know it.” He swallowed. “I’ve always known it.”

Silver pressed his forehead against Jim’s and took a shuddering breath. His hands had found their way to Jim’s shoulders. “By all the powers, lad. How could I ever say no to you?”

Jim sent him a watery smile, and Silver chuckled. He rubbed a mechanical finger down Jim’s neck and leaned in the scarce inch it took for their lips to meet again. 

It was better than anything Jim could have imagined. All the thoughts rushing through his head quieted, and the whole galaxy narrowed to the places they were touching. Silver’s lips worked softly against Jim’s. Jim’s hands came up to Silver’s chest and pressed against his shirt. He could feel Silver breathing under his palms and was awed by the intimacy of it. Jim shivered at the feeling of Silver’s organic hand at his hip, holding him sure and steady. He would have been happy to stay there in the skiff for hours, learning how Silver’s mouth felt under his. 

Eventually Silver pulled back far enough to catch his breath. Jim regarded him with a smile on his face. Silver’s mouth was wet, and his cheeks had grown red. He looked rather dazed. Jim was astonished that he could have such an effect on the man!

Silver ran his mechanical fingers through Jim’s hair, which made Jim melt. “You’re gonna break my heart, here, lad. How can I possibly leave you, now I know that you want this?”

Jim chewed at his lip. “When did you say you’ll be heading out?”

Silver laughed. “Oh, a few hours ago, was the original plan!”

A reckless, wild feeling was sweeping through Jim, the sort of feeling that meant that he was about to do something impulsive and brilliant, something that would make his mom tear out her hair when she found out. He’d learned to trust this feeling. 

“Can you wait until tomorrow morning?”

Silver looked like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Jimbo—”

Jim’s mind was racing a lightyear a minute. “I’ll grab the stuff I need from my apartment, and let my mom know that it’ll be a while before I’m back at Montressor....” He paused. “If you’ll have me, of course.”

Silver shook his head, but a smile was spreading across his face. “You’re crazy, lad.”

“Good crazy? Crazy you’d be willing to put up with?” 

Silver’s face grew momentarily serious. “No ‘putting up with,’ here. You know I’ve always thought you were something special. I’d be honored to have you on my crew, no doubt about it.”

Jim felt so happy he might burst. He threw his arms around Silver, nestling his face into Silver’s neck. Silver wrapped his arms tight around Jim. 

“I missed you, Jimbo,” he whispered into Jim’s hair. Jim breathed him in. Silver’s embrace was heaven. 

Jim pulled back and met Silver’s eyes. 

“I guess I should get back to my apartment, and I’ll see you in a few hours then?” He laughed a little wildly. This was rash, Jim knew, but it felt so right. 

Silver cradled his face tenderly in his hands. “I’ll see you soon,” he echoed. He pulled Jim in for another gentle kiss. “I’ll be waiting for you here, lad,” he murmured against Jim’s lips. 

The future stretched out long before Jim’s eyes: days full of reckless schemes and the wide blue of space, and nights full of Silver, always Silver, lazy and loving in his bed in the captain’s cabin. Jim couldn’t wait. 

**Author's Note:**

> Something slightly different than my usual! Hope you enjoyed. It was fun to attempt this version of these two.
> 
> I'm def not an expert on this universe, so sorry for any world-building-related mistakes. Shoutout to the Treasure Planet fandom wikis for being a great resource!
> 
> Title from Always Know Where You Are.


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